This is a ceremonial Senate resolution (SRES 902) honoring the late Senator Timothy Peter Johnson of South Dakota, who died after a long career in public service. The resolution expresses the Senate's "profound sorrow" over his death, directs the Secretary of the Senate to share the resolution with the House and send a copy to his family, and calls for the Senate to adjourn in his memory. It does not create new laws or affect any policies, as it is purely a formal expression of respect for a former senator. The resolution commemorates his decades of service, including his time as Chairman of the Banking Committee and his return to work after a serious health setback.
HR 1449, the CLEAN Act, amends the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to streamline geothermal energy development. It requires annual leasing of federal lands for geothermal projects (previously every two years), mandates replacement sales if a lease sale is canceled, and requires the Secretary of the Interior to offer all eligible parcels for development in a given state. The bill also sets strict 30-day deadlines for the Department of the Interior to notify applicants about complete permit applications and issue final decisions on drilling permits. These changes directly affect geothermal energy developers and the Department of the Interior, aiming to accelerate project approvals on federal lands.
SRES 897 is a Senate resolution designating November 2024 as National Native American Heritage Month and recognizing the Friday after Thanksgiving as Native American Heritage Day, as established by the 2009 Native American Heritage Day Act. It formally acknowledges the contributions of Native Americans to U.S. history, culture, and society, including their roles in agriculture, environmental stewardship, military service, and the influence of Indigenous governance concepts on the U.S. Constitution. The resolution encourages the public to observe these designations through educational programs and activities. As a ceremonial resolution, it does not create new laws or directly affect any individuals or communities.
This bill extends the Secure Rural Schools program, which provides payments to counties and states with federal land, through 2026. It also adjusts related deadlines for special projects on federal land and county fund expenditures, pushing them to 2028 and 2029 respectively. Additionally, the bill adds a pilot program allowing regional foresters to appoint resource advisory committee members, set to end on October 1, 2028. These changes maintain funding stability and administrative flexibility for rural communities dependent on federal land management.
SRES 888 is a ceremonial Senate resolution honoring the late James Ralph Sasser, a former U.S. Senator from Tennessee (served 1976-1993). It formally expresses the Senate’s "profound sorrow" over his death and requests the Secretary of the Senate transmit the resolution to his family. The resolution has no policy impact or direct effect on any individuals or entities - it is solely a commemorative gesture. As a procedural resolution, it does not create new laws or alter existing policies.
This resolution (SRES 887) is a symbolic Senate expression of support for designating October 7-12, 2024, as "National 4-H Week." It does not create new laws or funding but formally recognizes the 4-H youth development program, which serves nearly 6 million young people nationwide through community-based projects in health, science, and leadership. The resolution highlights 4-H’s role in fostering youth leadership and its partnership with land-grant universities and the USDA. It directly affects the 4-H organization, its 500,000 volunteers, and the youth members participating in the program.
This bill authorizes a Congressional Gold Medal to honor the "Hello Girls" - 223 women who served as Army Signal Corps telephone operators in WWI. They connected 26 million calls in France, worked 12-hour shifts under combat conditions, and were denied veteran benefits for 60 years despite wearing uniforms and facing combat hazards. The medal recognizes their pioneering military service, devotion to duty, and the decades-long struggle for recognition as soldiers. It directs the Treasury to strike the medal and place it in the Smithsonian for public display at institutions like the National WWI Museum.
HJRES 136 is a resolution seeking to block an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that would have set new emissions standards for light and medium-duty vehicles sold in 2027 and later model years. The EPA rule, published in April 2024, aimed to require vehicle manufacturers to meet stricter pollution limits for these vehicles. If passed, this resolution would cancel the rule, preventing the EPA from enforcing the new standards. It uses a congressional process that allows Congress to reject agency rules with a simple majority vote.
SRES 838 is a symbolic Senate resolution designating November 17, 2024, as "National Warrior Call Day." It aims to raise awareness about veteran and military member mental health by emphasizing the importance of peer-to-peer connections during transition from service. The resolution cites statistics showing high veteran suicide rates (33.9 per 100,000 in 2021) and encourages all Americans to reach out to veterans or active-duty personnel for support. It does not create new laws or funding but urges public engagement through "making a warrior call" to prevent isolation. This resolution directly affects public awareness and voluntary actions, not specific individuals or programs.
SRES 844 is a non-binding Senate resolution recognizing September 15-21, 2024, as National Forensic Science Week. It formally supports forensic science service providers (like crime labs) and encourages them, local policymakers, media, and the public to engage through community events, lab tours, and discussions about forensic science needs. The resolution urges local officials to formally declare the week and visit labs, while inviting the public to learn about forensic work and its role in criminal justice. It does not create new laws or allocate funding, but aims to raise awareness of forensic science’s contributions to solving crimes and exonerating the innocent.
SRES 813 is a ceremonial Senate resolution honoring the late Steven D. Symms, former U.S. Senator from Idaho (1980-1992). It formally expresses the Senate’s sorrow at his death, directs the Secretary of the Senate to notify the House of Representatives and deliver a copy to his family, and calls for the Senate to adjourn in his memory. The resolution acknowledges his service in the Marine Corps, his 20-year congressional career (House 1972-1980, Senate 1980-1992), and his work on tax policy, infrastructure, and military base improvements. As a commemorative resolution, it has no legal effect or policy changes - only symbolic recognition.
# Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025 - Summary
This document is a comprehensive appropriations bill for the Department of the Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, and related agencies for fiscal year 2025. It contains numerous specific funding allocations, restrictions, and prohibitions on how federal funds may be used.
## Key Restrictions and Prohibitions
The bill contains extensive prohibitions on using funds for specific environmental regulations, policies, and executive orders:
- **Climate Change Restrictions**: Prohibits funding for implementing numerous climate-related regulations and executive orders, including:
- The Clean Power Plan (Section 472)
- Executive Orders related to climate change (Sections 449)
- The "Good Neighbor" rule for ozone standards (Section 470)
- The "NEPA Phase 1" and "NEPA Phase 2" regulations (Sections 479-480)
- The "National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants" rule (Section 491)
- **Regulatory Restrictions**: Prohibits funding for numerous EPA regulations, including:
- Clean Water Act Section 401 rule (Section 476)
- Greenhouse gas reporting rule (Section 483)
- Methane fee regulations (Section 490)
- Disposal of coal combustion residuals (Section 485)
- Risk Management Programs (Section 482)
- The "Steam Rule" (Section 468)
- Ethylene oxide regulations (Section 473)
- **Policy Restrictions**: Prohibits funding for:
- Using "social cost of carbon" in regulatory analysis (Section 454)
- Developing guidance on valuation of ecosystem services (Section 450)
- Implementing the "Interagency Working Group on Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases" (Section 477)
- Promoting or advancing "Critical Race Theory" (Section 445)
- The Climate Justice Alliance (Section 460)
- The "American Climate Corps" (Section 448)
- **Specific Program Restrictions**: Prohibits funding for:
- Certain EPA guidance on "Waters of the United States" (Section 466)
- Implementing pesticide labeling changes (Section 467)
- The "Small Off-Road Engine Waiver" (Section 469)
- The "Meat and Poultry Products" rule (Section 484)
## Key Funding Provisions
- **Wildfire Management**: Includes significant funding for wildland firefighting with specific provisions:
- Special pay rates for wildland firefighters (Section 456)
- Incident response premium pay (Section 457)
- **Land Management**: Funds for:
- National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund (Section 429)
- Land and Water Conservation Fund (Section 429)
- Forest Ecosystem Health and Recovery Fund (Section 428)
- **Water Management**: Specific provisions for water rights (Section 458), but restrictions on certain regulations.
## Other Notable Provisions
- **Firefighter Pay**: Specific provisions for special base rates and incident response premium pay for wildland firefighters (Sections 456-457)
- **State Permit Programs**: Approval of Florida's permit program for dredged or fill material (Section 492)
- **Land Conveyance**: Provisions for conveyance of National Forest System land in Riverside County, California (Section 459)
- **Prohibition on Certain Regulations**: Includes prohibitions on implementing specific regulations like the "FAST-41" rule (Section 463)
This bill represents a highly restrictive approach to federal environmental regulation, with numerous specific prohibitions on using funds for climate change policies, environmental regulations, and certain types of policy development. It emphasizes limiting the regulatory authority of the Environmental Protection Agency while providing specific funding for land management and wildfire response programs.
